Please keep fingers and paws crossed for Ash tomorrow UPDATE SAD......

Yes the day has come, Ash will be at the vets tomorrow morning for his blood test and hydration, depending on the blood results, his big dental will go ahead on Tuesday, I am nervous for him and worried about my old boy, he has not been away from home overnight for many years, only ever been in a cattery twice for a very short time, i will miss the ole fella, and hate the thought of him being in a cage all day and night, he will be so scared, so please prayers, good thoughts, wishes will be much appreciated for Ash and his worried meowmie. thank you.

Carole, Pittsburgh thoughts and prayers are coming Ash's way for his visits with the vet. Also prayers for you to be strong for Ash.

Carole, we'll pray Ash (and you) right through it! :)

Lots of good thoughts from Fister and me that Ash will get some fine results from the tests, and his dental work will go smoothly. He will of course miss you, but when gets home, he'll feel a lot better! :)

Gentle headbumpies to Ash, and hugs to you!

Prayers on the way for Ash and for you.

I'll be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers. Please continue to keep us updated about him and try not to worry too much. I know it's easier said than done though.

Prayers and good wishes for Ash are coming from us..

well he is at the vets, have not heard anything yet, regarding blood test, i so hope they can go ahead with the dental, i just want it over and done with, poor ole guy, i hated leaving him behind, it really did make me feel down in the dumps and almost in tears, but i keep telling myself you are doing what is best for him, and afterwards he will be pain free and a much happier ole puss, thanks for your prayers, thoughts and good wishes, i am sure if Ash could talk he would say thanks too, will keep you all posted as i hear anything.

Good thoughts for Ash Carole, I'm sure he'll be just fine.

Well i have been anxiously waiting to hear from the vets, i could not wait any longer so gave them a buzz, he still has not had the dental yet, they have been keeping him hydrated, which is just as well, unfortunately and sadly Ash has some kidney problem, this I suspected, i am not sure exactly how bad, she did say it was higher than it should be and there was some inflammation but not extreme, so i am hoping that is a good sign, will find out more when we pick him up, they are going ahead with the dental and he should be ready to come home about 5.30pm all going well, she is going to keep him on the hydration drip throughout the dental.

I Gotta tell you i am worried about my ole guy more than ever now, please keep those prayers and good thoughts coming.

I guess Ash will now need to go on a special diet, i hope we have caught it early enough for him to continue to have some years ahead of him yet.

Hope you're feeling ok Ash!!!!!!!!

I have been doing a bit of research online about early kidney failure, i am assuming that is what my poor ole guy has, hopefully he is not too far on, and i am quite confused, some say feed what the vet recommends, others say no, others say raw diet,not dry food, i really don't know what i will do, i know a lot of you have experience with cats with kidney problems, so i would appreciate any advice from you all, i just want to make Ash's life more comfortable and happy for the years he will have left, and i read that can be up to five years, which would make Ash a really old cat by then anyhow, so i am thinking positive and hoping that with medication and food ash can live a much better life than he has been,anyhow i have not all the facts yet and will have to chat with the vet to get my information correct, so i know what i am actually dealing with.

My Ripley is in kidney failure and at age 16 is doing well. The first signs were at age 11 when I took him in for his dental - just like Ash. He did just fine and the vet just told me then that his kidney values were a little elevated. It wasn't until a few years later that the levels got high enough that he showed some symptoms. For the past few years all I've had to do for him is take him in for sub-q fluids a couple times a year.

As for diet the vet recommened Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach because Ripley has a sensitive stomach and throws up easily which makes the kidney failure worse. That food has worked very well and Ripley even gained a much needed pound over the past year and seems to feel better overall.

Hopefully if Ash is in the early stages things will be as easy for him and you as it has been for Ripley and me.

Prayers and positive thoughts on the way.

Thank you that made very interesting reading,i am puzzled as Ash has been showing symptons that i read on the internet since his last blood test which was fine about two years ago,although i have noticed his weight loss, i originally cut his food down as he was overweight and has arthritis in his back legs,but i have noticed lately he is not eating that much, very fussy about his food and loosing more weight although he is still a healthy 5.2 kgs which is fine according to the vet, he is a large stature cat, he was 6.7, he has thrown up his food for a long time now, but i had noticed it getting worse and he has had days where he is just not well on and off, i had mentioned all of this to the vet at the time two years ago, so i am not sure how far on he is really, it said on the internet that when these symptons show up that 70 per cent of the kidney function is gone by then, however the vet said his levels were higher than they should be and not extreme, so i am hopeful.

I am a little worried about the cost of his food, but of course i will get him everything i possibly can, but now i have two cats on special need diets, eek,maybe the pro plan like you have ripley on might be good for Ash too, i think it is somewhat more affordable to than what the vet might recommend, i am NOT having Hills that's for sure, royal canin maybe.

Tell me is red meat and chicken mince ok, i read on the internet they need the protein and it is good, Ash simply adores both of those, so i am just curious, don't want to do anything to make him worse, just make his life comfortable from now on, having his teeth out and fixed will help his overall health i imagine anyhow, he won't be having to put up with the discomfort of that anymore thank goodness.

I hope that everything went well for Ash and that he'll be able to come home soon.:) I'm sorry to hear that he has a kidney problem:( but hopefully it's been caught early. I don't know much about kidney diets but I have read and heard that cats need more fluids so I would think that you might need to start feeding him more wet food mixed with some water to help give him more moisture. Ash will remain in my thoughts and prayers. Please take care.